Carpenter returns to fold

Thursday

ATLANTA (AP) - The St. Louis Cardinals gushed over the return of Chris Carpenter, who gives their playoff hopes a major boost.

Over in the other clubhouse, the Atlanta Braves got a grim report on Tim Hudson's ailing elbow, another blow in their miserable season.

Carpenter pitched four solid innings in his first start since April 2007 and the Cardinals beat the slumping Braves 7-2 last night.

Albert Pujols drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh for the Cardinals, and Joe Mather put the game out of reach with a two-run homer in the eighth.

But all eyes were on Carpenter, the National League Cy Young Award winner in 2005. He spent the past year recovering from ligament replacement surgery on his right elbow and was making his first appearance in the big leagues since starting on opening day - of last season.

"It was fun," he said. "It was something I've been looking forward to for a long time. It's just good to get back out there and compete."

Carpenter allowed one run and five hits. He threw 67 pitches, striking out two and walking two.

Adding another quality starter to the rotation should bolster the Cardinals for the final two months as they try to keep pace with the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. St. Louis and Milwaukee are tied for second, four games back.

"I didn't know how long I would be out there," Carpenter said. "I went out there with the mind-set that I would go as hard as I could for as long as I could."

Hudson, the Braves' top starter, went on the disabled list Monday after an MRI discovered ligament damage in his elbow. He was examined by the team physician and met yesterday with Dr. James Andrews of Birmingham, Ala., who already performed season-ending operations on Atlanta pitchers John Smoltz and Peter Moylan.

"Both concur that surgery is likely," Braves spokesman Brad Hainje said after the game. "But he's going to take a short rehabilitation period before he makes a final decision."

The Braves need a lot more than Hudson in what has become a lost season.

They left the bases loaded three times and stranded 14 runners overall, a major problem for them all season. Casey Kotchman, acquired Tuesday in the blockbuster deal that sent Mark Teixeira to the Los Angeles Angels, grounded out with three on to end the eighth. The new first baseman went 0 for 5 in his Atlanta debut.

St. Louis broke a 2-2 tie in the seventh after starter Jair Jurrjens (10-6) retired the first two hitters. Adam Kennedy singled, and Pujols drove him home with a double into the left-field corner.

Atlanta's bullpen gave up two more runs in the ninth, and the Braves have surrendered 49 runs during a five-game skid.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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